Chapter 37 Principles of Spellcasting
"This Sun Sculpture originates from an Evil God..." said Brian.
Evil Gods were inherently violent, treating life as worthless, primarily harvesting life and devouring souls. Evil Gods were extremely dangerous for any intelligent being.
According to records from the Noah Continent, there was indeed an Evil God.
There were even churches dedicated to Evil Gods, engaging in live sacrifices, soul trades, city-wide massacres, and other atrocities. These fanatics would do anything in the name of Evil Gods.
However, after scouring the Dragon Heritage for information on Evil Gods, Brian found nothing related to the Sun Sculpture.
Compared to known Evil Gods, an unknown Evil God statue was more alarming.
Brian was cautious but not overly fearful.
Most gods resided in outer planes, and entering the Prime Material Plane was no simple task. They can at most send avatars or exert minimal divine power through certain connections, mainly influencing the Prime Material Plane through their followers.
After pondering for a few more minutes, Brian temporarily shifted his gaze from the ice-encased Sun Sculpture. Something in William's stone house caught his attention.
He moved to the only gray wooden table in the stone house.
On the gray wooden table were various strange bottles and utensils, glass containers with green liquid, and remnants of unknown creatures... Five yellowed books were stacked in one corner, which seemed to have been around for a while, but they didn't appeal to Brian. This indicated that they hadn't been around for too long and were not ancient artifacts.
Brian picked up the first book with his Dragon Claws, and his face lit up with joy when he recognized the text.
[Compendium of Apprentice Magic]
The text was in the Noah Common Language, which he could read.
"Could it be..." Brian's eyes burned with excitement as he looked at the other yellowed books.
[Principles of Spellcasting]
[The Lustful Paladin]
[Summary of Enchantment and Transmutation Magic]
[Bestiary]
After reading the titles of the five books, Brian noticed an odd one among them.
With a strange expression, he picked up [The Lustful Paladin], first sending Tancred away, then carefully opened the cover, flipping through it with his Dragon Claws, soon engrossed.
With his speed-reading ability, he read quickly.
The book had fifty-six pages, many with vivid illustrations, totaling about a hundred thousand words. He finished it in no time.
Initially, Brian read it with the mindset of perusing a forbidden book, but to his surprise, he found quite a bit of useful information.
The book mainly narrated the adventures of a Paladin across the Noah Continent, involving romantic escapades with princesses, noblewomen, and aloof elves, even taming a female Red Dragon as a mount and conversing with his goddess in dreams...
Overall, it was a harem novel.
However, the descriptions of local customs and hidden cultures across the Noah Continent were not recorded in the Dragon Heritage.
Brian judged that much of the content based on his existing knowledge, though exaggerated, was largely credible.
Putting down [The Lustful Paladin], his expression turned serious as he picked up the black-covered book.
[Principles of Spellcasting]
Reading the content, Brian's eyes sparkled, and he became deeply engrossed, murmuring softly, "A spell is an independent magical effect, a process of reshaping the pervasive magical energy in the multiverse, finally manifesting in a specific way in a specific area.
"When casting a spell, the Spellcaster stirs the invisible but omnipresent primal magic, weaving and fixing it into form, making it resonate and oscillate in a specific way, then releasing it to achieve the desired effect.
"Magic can be a convenient tool, a weapon, or a protective barrier. It can create or heal damage, induce or remove specific conditions, and draw or bestow life force."
...
"The level of a spell roughly indicates its strength. Zero-level cantrips can be activated by thought alone, but high-level spells require the Spellcaster's full concentration. Some special spells also consume endless materials, even the Spellcaster's life force.
"Before a Spellcaster can use a spell, it must be inscribed in their consciousness, or the spell's power stored in a magical item.
"Magic Runes and incantations are countless. Through long evolution, most have become the most effective means of communicating elemental energy. Commonly used Runes and incantations include ψωξαщжюδя...
"An effective magic circle must have a Magic Core (Magic Ring, Basic Incantation, Stellar Diagram), Magic Catalyst (small circles on the Stellar Diagram, Runes), and magical stance (sun, moon, star patterns)."
...
Unlike his usual speed-reading, Brian meticulously memorized every character. He treated this new field of knowledge with utmost seriousness.
Through [Principles of Spellcasting], he gradually gained a clear understanding of magic.
The book didn't detail specific Magic Models but clarified what magic was, listing the pronunciation and effects of common Runes and incantations, along with some basic magic circle patterns, mainly simple three-star formations.
Brian felt he had gained a lot after reading.
Acquiring new knowledge regardless of its nature, always filled Brian with joy and a sense of unprecedented satisfaction.
It was a spiritual joy, a delight for the soul, making him feel a thrill of excitement.
His Dragon Claws, holding the book, trembled slightly. "I have endless time, a photographic memory, I am an immortal dragon... One day, all the knowledge of the multiverse will be mine to understand."
Brian's eyes became clear, his platinum-gold dragon pupils shining brilliantly.
All along, Brian had been somewhat lost, unsure of his purpose.
Was it just to survive and gain enough power?
That was merely going with the flow, not a true inner desire.
Coming to this unknown world, and transforming into a dragon, he had sought stability and survival, living passively. But now he had found his ideal and his path.
This idea had first surfaced when he learned the Giant Language, feeling the excitement of acquiring new knowledge, but it was only now that Brian confirmed it and recognized himself.
Even if this ideal seemed unrealistic. For even gods were not omniscient.
‘The legendary god above the gods is not omnipotent. But so what? If it were achievable, would it still be an ideal?’ Brian's confusion vanished like clouds parting to reveal a clear sky.
